The PA Chapter of the American Planning Association and the PA Local Government Training Partnership are cosponsoring training on planning for disaster resilient communities.  There are six training sessions statewide, kicking off with a session at the new Chester County Public Safety Training Campus on May 22nd.

As natural and man-made events teach us over and over, it’s too risky NOT to consider hazard mitigation and disaster resiliency, especially with hazard mitigation being an essential component of site planning, comprehensive planning, stormwater management and numerous other planning practices.  Building resilient communities is not just a product of emergency management and emergency services personnel, but also a responsibility of planners as they assist communities with comprehensive planning and development of and updates to zoning and subdivision and land development ordinances.  The session will cover details on creating a hazard mitigation plan as well as review how to incorporate emergency management and emergency services planning in other municipal plans and ordinances.  A key concept of the training will be how to ensure that land use and community planners and emergency management personnel/emergency responders are coordinating their efforts.

The training will use Pennsylvania specific case studies and examples to convey relevant information to attendees.  The presenters will review tools, resources, and guidance provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to help you match resources to their challenges.  The target audience for this training session includes professional planners and elected officials, municipal staff, emergency management personnel, and citizen planners who are well-versed in planning and seeking advanced information on hazard mitigation planning and emergency management to improve the safety and resiliency of residents and business for current and future hazard risks. There will be ample opportunities for Q&A.

Given the nation’s economic climate and looming fiscal constraints, many of us are looking for creative solutions to our communities’ problems. This Roundtable series, designed exclusively by and for Greater Philadelphia’s community and economic development professionals, invites you to share your challenges, bring your good ideas, and brainstorm answers to your colleagues’ tough questions.

The Roundtable is an in-person forum that harnesses the experience of our region’s community and economic development practitioners to improve Greater Philadelphia’s great places! While a guest speaker will kick-off each meeting, participants will shape the discussion.

Join us for our next Roundtable discussion on various strategies on how to engage local businesses and build a more unified downtown. Topics of discussion will include outreach strategies, incentives for businesses, and overall strategies for downtown businesses. David Rucki of DMR Consulting Solutions will lead the roundtable discussion.

Engaging Local Businesses to Build a Unified Downtown

David Rucki, DMR Consulting Solutions

Friday, March 8, 2013

Breakfast at 8:30 am; Program from 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

8th Floor | ACP Building

190 N. Independence Mall West | Philadelphia, PA 19106

[www.dvrpc.org/directions]

Please RSVP to Karen P. Cilurso, Senior Regional Planner, [ Kpcilurso@dvrpc.org]

The PA Land Use Institute is hosting its annual session on Saturday February 23, 2013.  The training includes two hours of updates on recent court cases specific to Pennsylvania and a 90 minute session from FEMA on floodplain management.  The session will be held at the Berks County Agricultural Center in Leesport.  Registration information can be downloaded.  The registration deadline is February 18th.

Download: 43076_GC_PS_NTOASLU_FEB13_rev